How to Select a Pet

 

What do I need to know before I consider acquiring a pet?

Bringing a pet into your home is like gaining another family member and not a decision to be made lightly! You’ll want to ask yourself a few important questions before taking on that responsibility.

1. Are you prepared to take the animal with you if you move? To spend the time and effort necessary to find a place to live that will accept pets?
2. If you live in an apartment, are you sure that your lease allows you to keep a pet?
3. Are you able and willing to make the financial commitment to provide your new pet with the medical care it needs every year? If necessary, are you able and willing to provide emergency medical care if the situation ever occurs?
4. Have you considered that this cute, playful puppy or kitten, with the childlike features and antics, will soon turn into an adult animal with its own personality? And that it could very likely be with you for the next 15 to 20 years?
5. Are you able and willing to spend time playing with, exercising, and loving your new family member on a daily basis?
6. Are you aware that this new pet may chew or scratch furniture or other items in your home? Are you willing to work with it to teach it not to do these things?
7. Are you prepared for hair on the sofa and carpet, scratch marks on floors or furniture, and for the fact that your house can no longer be kept faultlessly clean?
8. Are you prepared to clean up fecal matter or urine, or vomited hair balls, without getting angry at the animal?
9. Can you ensure that your new pet will not be left alone at home for more than 8 hours a day?
10. Have the other people in your household consented to the addition of a new pet?
11. Do you have relatives, friends, or neighbors, who will care for your pet while you are on vacation? If not, are you prepared to make suitable boarding/pet-sitting arrangements?
12. If you have children, can they understand that a pet requires time and attention every day? Are you willing to take over total care of the pet if the children lose interest?

If you can gladly answer yes to each of these questions, you will be rewarded with many years of loving companionship from your new pet.